Instrument for holding artificial teeth.



. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903 W. P. MOKIBBEN.

No MDBL.

INSTRUMENT FOR HOLDING ARTIFICIAL TEETH APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2l, 1903.

W/ TNESSES A TTU/NVE `rrn maries Patented November 2d, 1903.

armer @netting INSTRUMENT FOR'l-ILDING AHTLFRCLAL. TtETlrl.

SEECIFIOATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,071, dated November 24, 1903.

Application illed March 2l, 1903. Serial No. 148,885. (llc model.)

To all whom, t may @o7/warn:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FRANK MG- KIBBEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Linneus, in the county of Linn and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Instrument for Holding Artificial Teeth, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an instrument especially adapted to hold what is known as plain vulcanite teeth for grinding purposes, the instrument being so constructed that the position ofthe tooth may be reversed, enabling either side to be grou ud at the biting edge or adjacent thereto and wherein the teeth may be turned end for end and held firmly in any desired position.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide an instrument of the character described which will be simple, durable, and light and capable of quick and ready adjustment relative to and in clamping engagement with the teeth.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the instrument, showing a tooth held between its jaws. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the instrument, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

The body of the instrument consists of two members A and B, which may be termed practically upper and lower members, as one is above the other, and these members at their rear ends are connected by an attaching member C of any desired type, which latter member C may serve as a handle for the instrument.

The two members A and B may be brought and held in near relation to each other by means of a compressing-band 10, which encircles or receives both of the said body members A and B, being mounted to slide thereon, and each of these body members A and B is preferably reduced in width at the forward or free ends, as is shown at 11 and 12- in Fig.

l; but they may be practically ot' the same width throughout their length.

The upper body member A is curveddownward .in direction of the opposing and lower member B at its free or forward end, forming thereby a downwardly-inclined beak or jaw 13, while a iiange 14 is carried upward. from the corresponding portion of the lower body member B, constituting a lower jaw.

A slide 15 is mounted for movement upon the reduced portion 11 of the upper body member A, and this slide is held in its adjusted position by means of a set-screw 16 or its equivalent. From the lower forward portion ofthe said slide 15 a lip 17 is downwardly and forwardly projected. In other words, the said lip is inclined downwardly in direction of the lower jaw 14, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The tooth D is provided with the usual shank portion d, adapted to enter the material of the plate or bridgework to which the porcelain is to be attached, and the usual pins d extend from the inner face of the tooth, as is shown in Fig. 1.

In the operation of this instrument the tooth is placed between the two jaws 13 and 14, the pins d' being in engagement with the outer face of the lower jaw 14 of the lower Vmember B/ of the body, while the upper jaw 13 of the upper member A of the body is brought in engagement with the opposite side of the tooth. The sleeve or slide 15 is now adjusted in direction of the outer end of the upper jaw 13 of the upper body member A until the lip 17 is in iirm engagement with the inner end of the tooth, at which time the sleeve or slide 15 is secured in position by the manipulation ofthe set-screw 16 or any equivalent thereof which may be employed. Finally, the compressing-band 10 is slipped along the two body members A and B in direction of their'forward or clamping ends orjaws, thus holding the said. jaws or clamping ends of the body members in tirm engagement with opposite sides of the tooth D, enabling the tooth to be conveniently and firmly heldin position to be ground.

It is obvious that the position of the tooth in the instrument may be readily and quickly changed, so as to bring any portion of the IOO tooth in position for grinding, as may be required.

It will be understood that the body members A and B are made of a spring materialspringsteel, forl example--so th'at when the compressing-band 10 is adjacent to the handle member or section C the jaws of the instrument W-ill automatically separate.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 4 1. In an instrument for holding artificial teeth, an upper and a lower spring member, one member having a curved jaw at its free end and the opposing member an upwardlyextending flanged jaw, a compression device for the two members, and an adjustable stop held between the two'jaws.

2. An instrument for holding artificial teeth, comprising upper and lower spring members connected at one end, their opposite ends being free, the free end of one member being curved in direction of the corresponding end of the opposing member, and the opposing member being provided with a ange at its free end, extending'in direction of and beneath the curved portion of the other member,a compressing-band mounted to slide upon the two members, a slide having movement upon the member having the curved terminal, a lip extending from the lower portion of the slide in direction of the said flange, and a fastening device for the slide, as described.

3. In an instrument for holding artificial teeth, the combination with opposing body members connected at their rear ends and free at their forward ends, the upper body member being provided with a downwardly-curved jaw at its free end and the lower or opposing body member with an upwardlyextending anged jaw, and a compressingband mounted to slide over both the body members to bring the two jaws toward each other, of a slide mounted upon the upper body member,

having movement to and from the jaw-terminal thereof, a downwardly and forwardly extending lip carried from the bottom portion of the said slide, extending in direction of the lower jaw, and a set-screw passed through the said slide to an engagement with the upper body member, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

VILLIAM FRANK MCKIBBEN.

Witnesses:

H. J. WIGGINTON, M. L. GIBSON. 

